In GE13, BN wins Malay heartland, Pakatan the cities
(TMI) – There are two Malaysias. One from the Malay heartland that swung back to Barisan Nasional (BN) on Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia campaign to retake Kedah and run the country despite a smaller federal majority in Election 2013.
The other is a multiracial Malaysia that gave more votes, federal and state seats to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) especially in cities and towns, reflecting the growing rural-urban divide of a fast-developing nation.
The record 80 per cent turnout from the 12.9 million voters eligible to cast their ballots in yesterday’s general election and close results in BN victories reveal hardcore support for either coalitions, firming the idea of a two-party system in Malaysia.
And the divided loyalties of the majority Malays between being grateful to BN that has developed Malaysia in its 56 years of unbroken rule or taking the promise of equity from three parties campaigning against cronyism and corruption that they blame on the ruling coalition. In the end, BN won 133 federal seats and Pakatan took 89.
“I think they were taken in by some of the undertakings given by the opposition… and that’s why there was that swing…. and a lot of sentiments there, some of them racial in nature, that were being played up in this election, which is not very healthy for this country,” Najib told reporters at the Umno headquarters early this morning, shortly after a simple majority victory cemented BN’s place in Putrajaya.
“I expected it but I did not expect it to this extent. None of us expected it to this extent. But despite the extent of the swing against us, BN did not fall,” he added.
Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/in-ge13-bn-wins-malay-heartland-pakatan-the-cities/
